Vice President of Academic Affairs

Sheridan College is seeking an innovative, collaborative, and student-centered leader to serve as our next Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA). As the College’s Chief Academic Officer, the VPAA provides strategic leadership for academic programs and instructional support services while championing excellence in teaching, learning, and student success. Serving as a key member of the President’s executive leadership team (President’s Cabinet), the VPAA shapes the College’s academic vision and leads initiatives that strengthen the quality of instruction, expand opportunities, foster and grow the Northern Wyoming Career Pathway Partnership, and advance student outcomes across all academic programs. This position may be assigned the role of Accreditation Liaison Officer.

This is an exciting opportunity for a transformational leader who is passionate about educational excellence, faculty engagement, workforce responsiveness, transfer success, and creating accessible pathways that empower all learners to achieve their goals.

About the Role

The ideal candidate demonstrates:

• A strong commitment to student success and academic excellence.
• Ability to build trust through transparent communication and collaborative leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large teams and handle challenges among team members and/or external partners.
• Skill in building meaningful partnerships that enhance educational and workforce opportunities.
• Leadership with integrity, innovation, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Significant experience implementing best practices related to program review, continuous quality improvement, and integrated planning.

Responsibilities

• Academic Leadership and Support – Provide strategic leadership and support for academic excellence, faculty development, instructional programs and support services, student learning and achievement, innovation, and accreditation compliance.
• Student Success & Academic Excellence – Advance student success through data-informed strategies and student-centered pathways and programming.
• Strategic Partnerships & Workforce Alignment – Build partnerships that strengthen workforce alignment, dual and concurrent enrollment, transfer opportunities, and community impact. Provide leadership in educational planning activities and schedule development to meet College and student needs; direct the development and implementation of instructional programs. Encourage program innovation and renewal in response to changing community, student, and workforce needs.
• Strategic Planning, Implementation, and Enrollment – Play a significant leadership role in the ongoing implementation of the College’s Strategic Plan to 2030, including advancing initiatives that drive enrollment growth and support institutional priorities.
• Fiscal & Operational Stewardship – Oversee resources, budgets, curriculum, class schedule, and assessment to drive academic quality and student outcomes.
• Human Capital – Assist in the recruitment, selection, development, supervision, and evaluation of academic personnel.
• Accreditation – Lead the college’s efforts to ensure compliance with and exceed Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation criteria and standards across all areas of Academic Affairs. The College will undergo a Comprehensive Evaluation by HLC in fall 2028, including an Assurance Review, Student Opinion Survey, and on-site peer review visit. As assigned by the President, the VPAA may serve as the College’s Accreditation Liaison Officer.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s Degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Five years of progressively responsible leadership/administrative/supervisory experience managing instructional programs in higher education.
• Minimum two years of full-time teaching experience.
• Demonstrated experience with development, monitoring, and administration of budgets.
• Demonstrated experience developing, managing, and evaluating employees.
• Demonstrated experience with facilitation of teaching and learning; working collaboratively with faculty and others with evidence of championing teaching excellence.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing and using data and qualitative evidence to inform decision-making, evaluate program effectiveness, and achieve institutional priorities.
• Demonstrated experience fostering collaboration with and between multiple units to align academic scheduling or program development or student success strategies with student services.
• Demonstrated experience serving students from a variety of backgrounds, including, but not limited to, students from underserved and/or underrepresented backgrounds, adult learners, Veterans, and first-generation students.
• Candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Progressively responsible leadership/administrative/supervisory experience in community colleges having served as a senior-level director/dean that includes the development, monitoring, and administration of a budget and management of multiple direct-reports.
• Demonstrated experience working closely with their immediate supervisor and colleagues.
• Demonstrated experience acquiring additional resources through grants and other funding sources.
• Demonstrated experience using learning assessment as a tool for continuous improvement at course, program, and institutional levels, with demonstrated success engaging faculty in assessment practices.
• Demonstrated success collaborating with faculty, Student Affairs, and Workforce partners to understand student and community needs through data and stakeholder voices, resulting in responsive scheduling, program design, and pathways that prepare students for careers and transfer.
• Proven ability to collaborate across all levels, interacting directly with diverse faculty to understand perspectives and identify exceptional practices, while working with senior leadership to communicate the urgency and potential for advancing equitable student success.
• Demonstrated experience leading and engaging others in instructional strategic planning and implementation, program review, and assessment initiatives to improve and advance student outcomes.
• Commitment to creating and fostering a college climate and culture of empathy, understanding, and care for and with others.

Benefits

Sheridan College offers a generous benefit package for qualifying employees, including:

• Paid time off.
• Retirement contributions.
• Health insurance coverage for employees and their family.
• Tuition reimbursement options.
• Additional employee benefits.

All benefits information can be found at Benefits Package at Sheridan College.

Pay

Hiring Range: $162,025 - $194,430

Schedule

• Months Worked Annually: Full-time, 12 months.
• Typical Work Schedule: Generally, Monday – Friday, 8 am to 5 pm; with additional days and hours as needed.
• Working Conditions: Standard office environment. Occasional evening work and travel required.

About Northern Wyoming Community College District

Located in historic Sheridan, Wyoming at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains, Sheridan College at Northern Wyoming Community College District (NWCCD) welcomes all learners, empowers student success, and encourages and strengthens community development. Faculty and staff work collaboratively in a supportive academic environment to ensure students have the tools, resources, and guidance they need to thrive. Our strong academic traditions, innovative programs, and student-centered approach make Sheridan College and Sheridan College in Johnson County excellent places for students to pursue a wide range of degree and certificate programs, prepare to transfer to four-year institutions, enter the workforce, or continue lifelong learning. Sheridan College is a vital component of the community, serving as a trusted educational and workforce partner throughout the region.

Reports to: President